Jugraj Singh Khinda
Faculty of Arts & Science, OCAD University
ENGL-3004: Essay and the Argument
Dr. Katrina Younes (J.D, PhD)
June 2026
Last month, OCAD University Chancellor Jaime Watt argued in his op-ed with the Toronto Star that self-inflicted mistakes drain a government’s credibility, as well as that the Liberals just made two mistakes. In this essay, I will argue that the Liberal Party of Canada made a third self-inflicted mistake, by inviting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the 2025 G7 Summit, and that this will have electoral implications.
In his Toronto Star op-ed, Jaime Watt argued that the most serious political threats to a newly elected government are not external attacks, but rather, internal self-inflicted mistakes that erode credibility. Using early missteps by ministers in the Liberal Party of Canada government under Mark Carney, Watt illustrates how quickly a government can drift away from the mandate that brought them to power.
Specifically, Watt points to controversial remarks by ministers such as Gregor Robertson (Minister of Housing and Infrastructure), who stated that he didn’t believe housing prices should go down, as an example of “rookie mistakes” that contradict campaign promises. Furthermore, he emphasizes that the deeper issue is not the individual comments themselves, but what they reveal, which is a broader failure to remain focused and deliver on voter expectations.
According to Watt, such missteps stem from a misreading, or forgetting of the government’s mandate, especially in the period immediately following an election, when discipline should be strongest. Jaime Watt frames these errors as dangerous because they “drain a government’s credibility” and can have lasting electoral consequences. He argues that voters had a clear set of expectations for Carney’s government, and that any deviation from this agenda ultimately harms credibility.
At the time of writing this, it is June 6, 2026, which is a date that holds deep trauma and significance for Sikhs around the world, as it marks the 42nd anniversary of the Indian military’s assault on the Golden Temple in 1984. This event, and what unfolded over the subsequent months is recognized as a genocide in Ontario, and remains a profoundly painful moment in Sikh history. To mark this occasion, Mark Carney has invited Narendra Modi to attend the 51st G7 Summit, which is to be held in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada. Additionally, the summit itself will occur just days before the second anniversary of Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s assassination on June 18, an event which the Canadian government, under the leadership of Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, accused the Indian government of orchestrating.
In the lead-up to the election that brought Mark Carney to power, the Liberals and NDP repeatedly criticized Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre for not having a security clearance, raising concerns about foreign interference amid allegations that the Indian government had interfered in the Conservative leadership race. At the same time, the Liberals and NDP casted themselves as tough on India, highlighting the Indian government's historical and ongoing harm to Sikh communities. The decision to invite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 Summit, scheduled on the anniversaries of both the Indian military’s assault on the Golden Temple in 1984 and the assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil, directly contradicts the Liberal party’s prior stance, creating a clear contrast between the Liberal party’s pre-election messaging and their current diplomatic actions
This decision alienates Sikh Canadians and other voters, who viewed the Liberals as a principled check on India’s influence. However, it also creates a unique opportunity for the NDP. Unlike the Liberals, the NDP remain consistent on human rights, their stance on India, and continue to support, as well as stand in solidarity with the Sikh community exercising their Charter Rights. NDP critic for Public Safety and National Security, and MP for Vancouver East, Jenny Kwan, recently took to X, to condemn Prime Minister Mark Carney’s invitation to Narenda Modi.
At this point in time, the NPD remains the last party to stand with the Sikh community. Following the recent election, which reduced their seat count to seven, it’s likely that they will only grow from here, especially as they have a leadership race coming up over the next few months and progressive Canadians come to terms with the reality of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s leadership.
The NDP’s growth will undoubtedly impact other parties, most notably the Liberals, assuming we continue with the current first-past-the-post (FPTP) system. A vote split with the NPD, especially in key ridings with considerable Sikh populations is something that the governing Liberal party cannot afford if they want to remain in power, however, with the mistakes they’re making, I believe this is inevitable.
In his Toronto Star op-ed, Jaime Watt argued that the most serious political threats to a newly elected government are not external attacks, but rather, internal self-inflicted mistakes that erode credibility. Using early missteps by ministers in the Liberal Party of Canada government under Mark Carney, Watt illustrates how quickly a government can drift away from the mandate that brought them to power.
Specifically, Watt points to controversial remarks by ministers such as Gregor Robertson (Minister of Housing and Infrastructure), who stated that he didn’t believe housing prices should go down, as an example of “rookie mistakes” that contradict campaign promises. Furthermore, he emphasizes that the deeper issue is not the individual comments themselves, but what they reveal, which is a broader failure to remain focused and deliver on voter expectations.
According to Watt, such missteps stem from a misreading, or forgetting of the government’s mandate, especially in the period immediately following an election, when discipline should be strongest. Jaime Watt frames these errors as dangerous because they “drain a government’s credibility” and can have lasting electoral consequences. He argues that voters had a clear set of expectations for Carney’s government, and that any deviation from this agenda ultimately harms credibility.
At the time of writing this, it is June 6, 2026, which is a date that holds deep trauma and significance for Sikhs around the world, as it marks the 42nd anniversary of the Indian military’s assault on the Golden Temple in 1984. This event, and what unfolded over the subsequent months is recognized as a genocide in Ontario, and remains a profoundly painful moment in Sikh history. To mark this occasion, Mark Carney has invited Narendra Modi to attend the 51st G7 Summit, which is to be held in Kananaskis, Alberta, Canada. Additionally, the summit itself will occur just days before the second anniversary of Hardeep Singh Nijjar’s assassination on June 18, an event which the Canadian government, under the leadership of Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, accused the Indian government of orchestrating.
In the lead-up to the election that brought Mark Carney to power, the Liberals and NDP repeatedly criticized Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre for not having a security clearance, raising concerns about foreign interference amid allegations that the Indian government had interfered in the Conservative leadership race. At the same time, the Liberals and NDP casted themselves as tough on India, highlighting the Indian government's historical and ongoing harm to Sikh communities. The decision to invite Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 Summit, scheduled on the anniversaries of both the Indian military’s assault on the Golden Temple in 1984 and the assassination of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil, directly contradicts the Liberal party’s prior stance, creating a clear contrast between the Liberal party’s pre-election messaging and their current diplomatic actions
This decision alienates Sikh Canadians and other voters, who viewed the Liberals as a principled check on India’s influence. However, it also creates a unique opportunity for the NDP. Unlike the Liberals, the NDP remain consistent on human rights, their stance on India, and continue to support, as well as stand in solidarity with the Sikh community exercising their Charter Rights. NDP critic for Public Safety and National Security, and MP for Vancouver East, Jenny Kwan, recently took to X, to condemn Prime Minister Mark Carney’s invitation to Narenda Modi.
At this point in time, the NPD remains the last party to stand with the Sikh community. Following the recent election, which reduced their seat count to seven, it’s likely that they will only grow from here, especially as they have a leadership race coming up over the next few months and progressive Canadians come to terms with the reality of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s leadership.
The NDP’s growth will undoubtedly impact other parties, most notably the Liberals, assuming we continue with the current first-past-the-post (FPTP) system. A vote split with the NPD, especially in key ridings with considerable Sikh populations is something that the governing Liberal party cannot afford if they want to remain in power, however, with the mistakes they’re making, I believe this is inevitable.
| Key Ridings Held by the LPC | Liberal VotesConservative VotesDifferenceMilton East-Halton South, ON | 32,17832,15721Kitchener-Conestoga, ON | 30,00129,479522Brampton Centre, ON | 19,71619,105611Brampton North-Caledon, ON | 22,84722,105 | 742 |
| Brampton South, ON | 22,001 | 21,193 | 808 |
| Richmond East-Steveston, BC | 25,705 | 24,605 | 1,100 |
| Fleetwood-Port Kells, BC | 23,250 | 21,439 | 1,811 |
| Burnaby Central, BC | 21,745 | 19,889 | 1,856 |
| Brampton East, BC | 23,616 | 21,731* | 1,885 |
| Brampton-Chinguacousy Park, BC | 21,532 | 19,591 | 1,941 |
| Port Moody-Coquitlam, BC | 27,074 | 25,126 | 1,948 |
| Surrey Centre, BC | 19,900 | 17,920 | 1,980 |
| Surrey Newton, BC | 20,263 | 18,023 | 2,240 |
| Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam, BC | 27,250 | 24,730 | 2,520 |
| South Surrey-White Rock, BC | 33,094 | 29,924 | 3,170 |
| Delta, BC | 32,802 | 27,314 | 5,488 |
| Total | 28,643 |
A chart highlighting the margin through which the Liberal party was elected in key ridings
In 2011,
Furthermore, it is something that the Conservatives are banking on, as they’ve previously poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into advertising in ridings that have large Sikhs populations. They succeeded in Brampton West, which flipped to the Conservatives for the first time since 2011, and by no coincidence was also the riding they spent the most money on advertising, according to Meta data. If they continue this, and the Liberals remain dismissive to Sikh, the CPC will only benefit.
In the end, this is precisely the kind of scenario Jaime Watt warns about: not a government undone by others, but one that tarnishes its own credibility through avoidable contradictions. By inviting Narendra Modi to the G7 Summit at a time of profound significance for Sikh Canadians, Mark Carney’s government has sent a signal that clashes with its own recent rhetoric on foreign interference, human rights, and accountability. In doing so, the Liberals risk confirming the very perception Watt identifies: that they have “lost the plot” of why they were elected.
The electoral consequences of such a misstep are obvious. In a political landscape shaped by narrow margins and concentrated voter bases, even a modest shift in support among Sikh Canadians, particularly in key battleground ridings, can alter outcomes. As disillusionment grows, the Liberals face pressure not only from the Conservatives but from a resurgent NDP, whose consistency on these issues offers a clear contrast. Under Canada’s first-past-the-post system, this fragmentation of the progressive vote will prove negative for the Liberals. What begins as inconsistency will ultimately translate into lost seats, and another party forming government later.
If Watt is correct that governments most often defeat themselves, then this moment may come to define the Carney government’s trajectory. The invitation to Modi is not an isolated incident, but part of a broader pattern of misalignment between message and action. Should this pattern continue, it will not be opposition attacks that cost the Liberals power, it will be the cumulative weight of their own self-inflicted mistakes, felt by Canadians when they return to the ballot box.